UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL LIMERICK’s (UHL) emergency department recorded its highest ever level of presentations on Monday.
325 patients attended the ED on Monday, the highest figure recorded to date. Surge capacity has been opened at UHL with scheduled activity at the Dooradoyle facility and other sites under UL Hospital Group’s control under constant review, with the exception of urgent and time-critical patients, including cancer patients.
A spokesperson for UL Hospitals Group told The Clare Echo, “We apologise to anyone who is currently experiencing long waits for admission to University Hospital Limerick in recent days. The ED remains open 24/7 and urgent care is being delivered to those who need it most. However, anyone who comes to ED who doesn’t have a life-threatening or severe illness or injury will face a significant wait.
“We encourage the public across Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary to make use of all available alternatives to ED, including local pharmacies for minor ailments; family doctors and out-of-hours GP services; and the Injury Units at Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospitals. We thank the public for their patience at this time of exceptionally high demand for hospital services, and ask them to continue supporting us in ensuring emergency care is prioritised for the sickest, most seriously injured and frailest patients”.
General Election candidate Hilary Tonge (SD) said the escalating crisis at UHL’s ED is a concern. “The Mid-West Hospital Campaign group, of which I am a member, has been contacted this week about serious overcrowding at the ED at UHL. It has been claimed that the resus department was unable to cope with the volume of patients needing attention, while the ED was filled to capacity with an estimated 180 people awaiting treatment”.
She said, “According to those who witnessed the chaos, there was no additional space within the hospital to cope with patient demand, with both overflow areas full to capacity. It is also unacceptable that beds are being taken from nursing homes in Clare to help cope with the overflow from UHL. This situation is particularly concerning when you consider that we are not even into peak winter season yet, when demand on the emergency department will inevitably increase.
“No patient in 2024 should have to tolerate these conditions and no member of hospital staff should have to work under such pressure. The crisis at UHL is the result of years of neglect by our elected politicians, successive Health Ministers and mismanagement by the HSE and Department of Health. The closure of the ED at Ennis Hospital in 2006 was a disastrous decision for the people of Clare and has contributed to the growing pressure on UHL. The people of Clare deserve access to a properly functioning health service and safe emergency department,” the Ennis woman added.
